Tongue coating

Tongue coating does not look aesthetically pleasing, but in most cases it is harmless. Everybody knows a coated tongue that feels furry when they wake up. Because saliva production decreases at night, the mouth dries out and the tongue turns whitish because bacteria multiply in the mouth - a coating forms on the tongue.  hollyhealthfitness

After brushing your teeth, the tongue plaque disappears again, as does the accompanying morning breath odor . Chewing during breakfast also boosts saliva production and the surface of the tongue gets a “morning clean”: The saliva loosens dead cells and washes away food residues.

What is tongue coating made of?

The tongue coating consists of dead skin cells, leftover food, but also bacteria and fungi that romp around in the mouth. There are millions of germs, especially on the last third of the tongue, which is difficult to access with toothbrushes and other tools. Whether a person has a lot or little coating on the tongue depends, among other things, on their diet. A high consumption of fiber, as found in grain, fruit and vegetables, creates mechanical friction, more abrasion and thus reduces the coating on the tongue. Conversely, a diet with soft and liquid foods causes the tongue coating to proliferate - some people then have a tongue that is always covered.  healthbeautystudio

This is what the tongue coating says

A lot can be read about health from the tongue coating. The muscular “rag” is not only important for tasting and swallowing, but also serves as a showcase into the interior of the body, such as the digestive tract. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) therapists have long made use of the color and texture of the tongue to track down diseases and health problems. You also pay attention to whether the tongue coating can be scraped off or whether it is firmly attached. Based on these criteria, the cause of the tongue coating can be narrowed down.

If the tongue is heavily coated and has an unusual color, such as yellow, brown or black, this could be an indication of an illness. However, this does not necessary have to be in the oral cavity. It is best to see an ear, nose and throat doctor or your dentist. Even if a stubborn coating on the tongue forms that cannot be scratched off, or if you have a constantly coated tongue, it is better to consult a doctor.

Color of the tongue

The color of the tongue tells whether something is wrong in your mouth or body. A healthy tongue is pink to reddish in color, has a light whitish coating on the tongue and a moist, smooth surface. If the color of the tongue is different, and this over a longer period of time, this could indicate a disease. Some medicines, luxury foods or food coloring also stain the tongue.

White coated tongue

What does a "white tongue" mean? A tongue that is slightly white is normal because dead cells, various microorganisms and food residues accumulate on the tongue during the course of the day. A white coating on the tongue can usually be removed if there is mechanical friction, for example during eating, chewing and oral hygiene .  techiescity

The main reasons why the tongue coating can turn white are:

• Often a fungal disease is behind it, if a thick white coating forms on the tongue and light deposits on the oral mucosa, for example the mouth fungus "thrush". The cause of this common infectious disease is the yeast Candida albicans; A whitish tongue coating can be scraped off with this fungal infection , the mucous membrane underneath appears red and inflamed. Oral thrush often affects babies in the first few months of life, who then develop a white coating on the tongue. Otherwise, the fungal disease has an easy job with a weakened immune system or after taking antibiotics.
• A white coating on the tongue also develops if you have caught a feverish infection, such as a cold or flu .
• Problems in the gastrointestinal tract, for example an inflammation of the stomach lining or a disease of the pancreas, are also expressed as a white tongue.
• Aphthae are harmless injuries to the mucous membrane; small white-yellowish spots are formed that are rimmed in red and are painful. Aphthous ulcers often affect the tongue, the lining of the cheek, and the gums.
• Tongue coating can also be related to iron deficiency . Then there is anemia and the tongue, which is normally well supplied with blood, appears white.
• Typhoid: In the case of infections with the typhoid pathogen, the tongue is gray-white.
• Lichen planus is a non-contagious skin disease that is associated with itchy, reddish-bluish nodules. The causes have not yet been precisely clarified. Certain medications (e.g. pain relievers, antibiotics), the metabolic disease diabetes , viral diseases ( hepatitis B and C) and stress seem to play a role as a trigger. The wrists, ankles, loins, and sacrum are often affected, and sometimes the entire body. The skin disease can also become visible in the mouth (oral lichen planus); white, reticulated stripes are formed on the lining of the mouth of the cheeks and the underside of the tongue; the whitish deposits cannot be wiped off. The skin disease usually resolves on its own after a long period of time.
• Leukoplakia means that the mucous membranes increasingly form horny cells. On the cheek mucosa, tongue, on the roof of the mouth, floor of the mouth or on the lips, cornifications form in the form of white spots that cannot be removed. Caution is advised here, because leukoplakia can develop into tongue cancer .
   

Tongue diagnostics: a white coating on the tongue does not necessarily mean a disease. Rather, the white tongue can have something to do with eating habits and poor oral hygiene. For example, if you fast or eat almost exclusively liquid food, the abrasion is missing and a white coating develops on the tongue. If you suspect an infectious disease with fungi or bacteria, a swab of the tongue coating will help. Laboratory doctors breed and multiply the pathogen in order to then determine it under the microscope. Sometimes more tests are needed, such as a gastroscopy , if the doctor suspects the cause is in the digestive tract.

Brown coated tongue

A brown coating on the tongue is often due to the consumption of certain luxury foods. Examples include coffee, tea, cigarettes, and other tobacco products, as well as food coloring, that manufacturers add to their products. A brown coated tongue also occurs when you take certain medications. In addition, a brownish coating on the tongue develops in people who use mouthwashes frequently and for a long time. Usually the active ingredient chlorhexidine is behind it when the tongue coating looks brown to black. A brown coating on the tongue can be removed with good oral hygiene and by avoiding excessive amounts of luxury foods and smoking.  techgeeksblogger

Various diseases also cause a brown discolored tongue. These include intestinal diseases and kidney weakness. Traditional Chinese Medicine therapists diagnose kidney failure based on the criteria “brown coating on the tongue” in combination with swelling of the tongue. In this case, the right contact person is first of all your family doctor, who may refer you to a specialist.

Yellow coated tongue

A yellow coating on the tongue is often harmless. Sometimes it is due to poor oral hygiene, diet or simply smoking when the tongue coating is yellowish. In heavy smokers, the yellowish coated tongue is caused by the nicotine in tobacco. So in every person who pulls too often on the glowing stick, the tongue is covered with yellow.

Certain diseases and toxins can also be the cause of the yellow coating on the tongue. Some examples are:

• A bright yellow coated tongue is usually an indication of a disease of the liver and gallbladder. For example, jaundice manifests itself not only in yellowing of the skin, mucous membranes and the white part of the eye, but also in a yellow tongue.
• A coated yellow tongue is also caused by an inflammation of the stomach lining, the gastritis.
• Fungal infections with the yeast Candida albicans - the oral thrush - ensure that a thick white-yellowish coating of the tongue forms. Patients also feel a furry feeling in their mouth. It is typical for oral thrush that the yellow coating on the tongue can be removed. The fungi can spread particularly well when the body's defenses are weakened.
• Diseases such as syphilis and diphtheria are accompanied by yellowing of the tongue.
• Poisons or metals, for example amalgam, can turn the tongue yellow.
   

Colored tongue from food and beverages

A green tongue is usually not associated with any medical condition. A green coating on the tongue forms, for example, when consuming green herbs such as parsley. Even a yellow coating appears to many people optically as a greenish tongue coating (yellow-greenish tongue coating).

An orange coating on the tongue can form when eating carrots or pumpkin. Some interpret a yellow tongue coating optically like an orange tongue coating. A yellow-brown coating on the tongue is often due to the consumption of luxury foods such as coffee or tea. It is better to have a doctor clarify a yellowish tongue, as serious illnesses can also be the reason. Only a specialist can definitively answer the question "What is the cause of the yellow tongue?"

Black tongue

A black tongue can have a variety of causes. When the tongue coating turns black, it is usually due to the consumption of coloring foods, coffee, tobacco, the frequent use of mouthwash or the use of certain medications.

A black coating on the tongue also develops when certain papillae on the tongue - the filamentous papillae - change. With this so-called "black hairy tongue" they lengthen and a hairy, black coating of the tongue develops on the back of the tongue. The name comes from the fact that the long papillae of the tongue look like fine black hair. The black tongue continues to strengthen when food debris and bacteria build up on the tongue.

The black hair tongue is very ugly, but harmless. The exact causes are not yet known. Doctors discuss the use of antibiotics, smoking or heavy consumption of stimulants such as coffee, tea or alcohol as possible triggers. A gray coating on the tongue indicates an iron deficiency, anemia or problems with the spleen. healthnutritionhints